Method and system for managing a hierarchical information base with an application layer protocol

Abstract

Presented is a method and system for using the Simple Network Management Protocol, SNMP, to manage a hierarchical information base comprising a plurality of entries each defining one or more object attributes. The method comprises mapping each of a plurality of objects of an SNMP Management Information Base, MIB, to a unique attribute of the information base.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of using a Simple Network Management Protocol, SNMP, to manage a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, LDAP, information base comprising a plurality of entries each defining one or more information model object attributes, the method comprising:
 providing, at a network management system of an SNMP managed network, a mapping definition; and 
 mapping, at runtime by the network management system using the mapping definition, between each of a plurality of objects of an SNMP Management Information Base, MIB, and a corresponding unique attribute of the LDAP information base, 
 wherein a particular one of the plurality of objects includes an Object Identifier (OID), wherein the mapping includes mapping between the OID of the particular object and an LDAP Distinguished Name, DN, instance, and wherein the mapping definition includes a data structure that includes elements of the DN instance, and the data structure maps the elements of the DN instance to corresponding sub-sequences of the OID. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 defining the mapping definition in an eXtensible Markup Language, XML, or object oriented language. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition comprises information relating to class definitions for the mapping, and a description of an information model structure. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the LDAP information base is implemented on an Information Model Management System, IMMS. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data structure is a prototype DN that defines a set of DN instances, wherein each of the DN instances in the set has the elements of the prototype DN assigned to corresponding different groups of values for respective ones of the DN instances in the set. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the OID includes a string that is a concatenation of the sub-sequences. 
     
     
       7. A Simple Network Management Protocol, SNMP, network management system comprising:
 a memory to store a mapping definition between SNMP attributes and attributes of a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, LDAP, information base; and 
 at least one processor configured to:
 monitor and control a plurality of managed devices in an SNMP network; 
 manage the LDAP information base comprising a plurality of entries each defining one or more object attributes; and 
 map, at runtime, between each of a plurality of objects of an SNMP Management Information Base, MIB, and a corresponding unique attribute of the LDAP information base, wherein a particular one of the plurality of objects includes an Object Identifier (OID), wherein the mapping includes mapping between the OID of the particular object and an LDAP Distinguished Name, DN, instance, and wherein the mapping is based on a mapping definition that includes a data structure having elements of the DN instance, and the data structure maps the elements of the DN instance to corresponding sub-sequences of the OID. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The SNMP network management system according to  claim 7 , wherein the LDAP information base is implemented on an Information Model Management System, IMMS. 
     
     
       9. The SNMP network management system according to  claim 7 , wherein the mapping definition is in an eXtensible Markup Language, XML. 
     
     
       10. The SNMP network management system according to  claim 7 , wherein the data structure is a prototype DN that defines a set of DN instances, wherein each of the DN instances in the set has the elements of the prototype DN assigned to corresponding different groups of values for respective ones of the DN instances in the set. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 provide, at a network management system, a mapping definition; and 
 map, at runtime by the network management system using the mapping definition, between each of a plurality of objects of an SNMP Management Information Base, MIB, and a corresponding unique attribute of a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, LDAP, information base, 
 wherein a particular one of the plurality of objects includes an Object Identifier (OID), wherein the mapping includes mapping between the OID of the particular object and an LDAP Distinguished Name, DN, instance, and wherein the mapping definition includes a data structure that includes elements of the DN instance, and the data structure maps the elements of the DN instance to corresponding sub-sequences of the OID. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the computing device to further:
 define the mapping definition in an eXtensible Markup Language, XML. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the mapping definition comprises information relating to class definitions for the mapping, and a description of an information model structure. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the LDAP information base is implemented on an Information Model Management System, IMMS. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the data structure is a prototype DN that defines a set of DN instances, wherein each of the DN instances in the set has the elements of the prototype DN assigned to corresponding different groups of values for respective ones of the DN instances in the set. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the OID includes a string that is a concatenation of the sub-sequences.